Friday, November 7, 2008

Biblical Discernment (or open your eyes to the truth)

I’d just like to address a dire situation in the church buildings these days, a very dangerous practice that is letting untold thousands, if not millions, of unbelievers through the doors. Some of these people are becoming leaders, deacons, nursery workers, Sunday School teachers, door greeters and even pastors. This could possibly be the most dangerous practice of the modern church age, well next to “decisional regeneration”. But then again this goes hand in hand with people making “decisions” for Christ.

The practice is in not discerning true believers from the “carnal Christians”, which are not Christians at all. These professing believers at one time made a decision, walked an isle, got baptized or any number of other modern, non-Biblical methods of “gaining salvation” instead of placing trust in Jesus Christ, repenting of their sins and actually becoming new creations in Christ. You can see alot of the unregenrated professors in the music business as they sing their songs that glorify sinful lifestyles, drinking, partying, promescuity, drugs, extramrital affairs, etc but then come out with a "gospel" CD and they are welcomed with open arms to any church that they want to step in to to sing their songs. It's not possible to have one foot in the world and the other in heaven. That is clear in the bible.

The modern “church” is more concerned with numbers, programs and putting out a false gospel messages themselves to be discerning. They willingly let hypocrites (actors) into their church buildings in search of higher attendances, higher offerings and higher carnal feelings. What happened to proving all things 1 Thess 5:21, judging professing Christians by their fruits Matt 7:20 and John 7:24? Instead these have been replaced with decision cards, slaps on the back, hand shakes and tithe envelops. No discernment of anyone or by anyone, all the while these unconverted people are gaining access to the sanctuaries and church class rooms, moving into leadership roles and enforcing these false beliefs that just because someone professes faith it should be taken as the truth. Churches are being filled with people that base their salvation on a decision, not Christ. These lost souls do not know what true Christianity is, so how can they be spreading the true gospel message? They can’t! Church leaders are letting Freemasons in leadership roles and no one sees a problem with this?

Then again this is a form of godliness, but believing a lie 2 Tim 3:1-7. They read the Word of God, but they either don’t understand it, or they just blatantly deny what it says. I would go with the first; they don’t understand it because they aren’t truly converted. How could supposed people of God be letting unbelievers into leadership roles? Or even letting them become members without anything but a signature on a card to move their membership? The bible is very clear that this would happen. Also with all of the new age, post modern junk that’s out there (all roads lead to God) it should not really be such a surprise. The TV preachers promote this, Joel Osteen denied that Christ was the only way on the Larry King show and yet he still has millions of other professing Christians buying his books, sending him money and attending his services. Have you ever watched a Osteen broadcast? I have, in hopes that I would hear something more than a pep rally meeting to make his followers feel better about themselves. Osteen doesn’t want to offend anyone, so he dodges the Truth and in doing that he denies Christ. Oprah has millions of followers and has pretty much the same message out there all roads lead to God. President elect Obama said very flippantly the same thing in a speech and then went on the mockingly tell the crowd that “people need to start reading their bibles”. I would suggest the same, but when they do and start believing the Word they will soon dismiss Obama, Oprah and Osteen for what they are – heretics, hypocrites and false converts.

Christ is the only Way. There is no way around it. All roads lead to hell unless they are through repentance and trust in Christ. God will not partially do anything, He will save a person or not. He will not save someone and then allow them to live in rebellion as “carnal Christians”, it’s not possible. An encounter with God is the most powerful thing that could ever happen to someone, that’s what the new birth is that Jesus told Nicodemus about, being born again is not just a cute little catch phrase, it is a biblical, Christian Truth. Unless you were reborn with a new spiritual nature then you are not a Christian. In being reborn spiritually your desires will change, you will love the God you hated. You will desire to know Him more, you will desire to please Him, not out of fear but out of love for your Savior. How great is that love?

Don’t rest in a decision, examine your spiritual walk and make sure it lines up with scripture. Start in 1 John, then the Gospels, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians and wherever God leads you and see if what your profession of faith means in light of the Word of God, not the words of a preacher, evangelist or your own feelings. If you continued in sin, it is a great possibility that you are not a Christian and you need to repent and turn to Christ. Put all faith in His Word and believe with all your heart that His Words are true. Find a biblical church, one that discerns between professing believers and true believers, one that preaches the Word in Truth and Righteousness. If a church uses worldly ways to draw people in, then it will have to use worldly ways to keep the people there. If God has truly saved you, then He will open your eyes to the false teachers and heretical ways of most churches. They have a form of godliness, but deny the power of God. Ask God for eyes to see and ears to hear that you might be able to discern the lies if your church spreading them. God will do it, He wants you to be in His Church, not the worlds church buildings. Don’t let traditions men keep you away from the True Word of God. He will lead you if you ask. I can highly recommend Oak Grove Baptist Church if you are in the Paducah Kentucky area and Union Baptist Church near Marion Kentucky. Other than that I have not been in any truly biblical churches in the immediate Paducah area, that’s not saying that there aren’t any, just that I haven’t been in any. I wouldn’t be apposed to visiting a church if you need an outside ear to hear. God has blessed me with an ear for the Truth and I praise Him for it. God will open your eyes too, it is simple after you have been truly converted. God will keep His own.

Repent and Trust.

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